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5 reasons to try barefoot shoes

03.05.2018

We all enjoy the freedom of being barefoot… spreading out our toes and feeling light on our feet. Of course, modern life means that kicking off our shoes isn’t always possible. But that doesn’t mean we have to leave the benefits of that barefoot feel behind!

If you’ve never tried a barefoot shoe before, then this simple discovery could transform every step of your day. People the world over are moving more healthily and happily than ever, with just one simple change – the shoes on their feet.

The benefits of natural foot freedom are all encompassing, but here’s a summary of our favourite reasons to try a barefoot shoe.

1. Say goodbye to foot pain from restrictive shoes

If you’ve been wearing ‘conventional’ shoes, you’re probably all too familiar with ‘the end of day sigh’ when you finally kick them off. Barefoot shoes are designed to eliminate this feeling. So much so, that you’ll probably forget to take your shoes off when you walk through the door.

2. Improve Posture

Even a very small heel can put a big ‘spanner in the works’ when it comes to your feet.

By shifting the posture forwards, we begin to alter the alignment of the whole body… through the toes, ankle, knees, hips, lower back, shoulders, neck and even head position. And as we’re sure you can imagine, interfering with this alignment is a recipe for pain and injury, putting unnatural stresses on trigger points across the body.

A barefoot shoe has zero elevation under foot, leaving all those mechanics free to work as nature intended, paving the way for a naturally healthier posture.

3. No more painful, squished toes

The forces of fashion have pushed us towards dainty, pointy and unnaturally shaped shoes. Place a bare foot on top of almost any shoe on the market, and you’ll notice something rather obvious – your foot is a different shape to the shoe!

Up to 70% of women will form a bunion during their life time and pointy shoes are a major culprit.

A barefoot shoe is designed to follow the natural shape of the foot, making sure that your toes aren’t squashed together. This leaves them free to splay apart with each step, helping create a naturally strong and sturdy foundation for movement and making sure that they don’t feel painfully cramped into the edge of the shoe.

4. Improve balance and move with more skill

Whizzing between your feet and your brain is a huge amount of sensory information, helping your brain understand what’s happening underfoot with each step so it can guide skilful movement decisions.

Putting squishy padding or rigid heels under the foot makes this task a whole lot more difficult, as the sensory information that the brain so heavily relies on becomes muffled.

Instead, a barefoot shoe uses a minimally thin (but highly durable and puncture resistant!) sole, designed to maximise the enriching sensory information available to the brain. It does a brilliant job of protecting the foot from cuts and the cold… whilst leaving all that sensory circuitry free to do its thing.

5. A healthy foot is the foundation of healthy movement!

It goes without saying that if your feet are weak, painful or tense and inflexible, it’s going to affect every step of the day.

When left to move naturally, most feet do a brilliant job of effortlessly supporting happy, healthy movement.

Flat feet, plantar Fasciitis, bunions, knee pain and back pain can all be linked to problems with foot health, strength and flexibility, often caused by problematic shoes.

A barefoot shoe is designed to encourage the foot to stay naturally strong, flexible and healthy. In the absence of support and padding, the foot remains inherently strong and supple (rather than becoming lazy and weak) – and does a very good job of keeping you moving without pain or injury.

START YOUR BAREFOOT JOURNEY

VIVOBAREFOOT offer a full range of naturally-shaped, barefoot shoes ready for every adventure, whether you’re exploring your urban environment or heading off the beaten track.

Enjoy a 100-day trial on your first pair (with a no-quibbles return guarantee!).

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